


Druxy

by helloshepard



Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Implied/Referenced Character Death
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-05
Updated: 2015-02-04
Packaged: 2018-03-10 13:31:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3292100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helloshepard/pseuds/helloshepard
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Druxy: something that looks good on the outside, but is actually rotten on the inside. Strikhedonia: the pleasure of being able to say “to hell with it”.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

He did not show it, but he was afraid. Standing in the hastily fashioned holding area, a pen really, it took a nudge from Ravage to fully calm him down.

The door opened. He remained where he was, even when Megatronus nearly stepped on Ravage and placed a huge hand on his upper arm. With no further preamble, the bigger mech spoke.

"I have a plan."

Soundwave waited.

"The caste system, the Council, the Senate. All of it can be destroyed and replaced with something new. Something neater. You would have a means to provide for your own." A glance at Ravage, and at the shadows, where the others laid in wait.

"I know you have been keeping an optic on me since our match. My spies have spies, Soundwave, yet there is no one as competent in that field as you."

Finally, he nodded.

Megatron stepped back, satisfied.

"I will… _speak_  with my manager next solar cycle and see if he will be able to have you transferred to my arena. In order to better entertain the wealthy patrons of our beloved pits, of course.”

Another nod.

Megatron stared at him for another minute, quite possibly the longest minute of Soundwave’s life, before turning abruptly and exiting the way he entered. The guards came back in, and he pushed the meeting from his mind.

It was impossible to believe that anything could change when your “savior” was allowed to see you on the basis of others believing he was there to kill you.

 

 

It was much easier to believe in change when every speech was taken and analyzed from every angle, when the analysis of Megatronus’s vocal patterns told him that that gladiator was not lying.

It was incredibly easy to believe when he fought his last match.   
  


 

It became harder to believe once he realized the Decepticon communications division wasn’t getting anything done nearly as quickly as it could be, mostly because all of his underlings were incompetent, or because they kept getting killed.

Everything was easier once he did it himself.

It was almost impossible once he woke up to the realization that there was only Laserbeak left, but it wasn’t until Predaking stood in front of him that he began to feel the fear once again.


	2. Chapter 2

“He said  _what?_ ”

"Well, it’s Soundwave, so he didn’t really ‘say’ anything, but—"

"And he’s  _here_? At our  _base_?”

Smokescreen looked suitably abashed, and Ratchet reminded himself that the younger Autobot might deserve the lecture, but now certainly wasn’t the time.

"I just thought that we could use the intel, and he showed me something Doc. And he looks…different."

Ratchet sighed.

“ _Fine._ Contact Bulkhead and tell Arcee and Bumblebee not to come around until we —  _I_  — sort this out.”

Smokescreen looked hurt, but didn’t question him. Silently, he handed him their newest acquisition and headed for the control room.

By human standards, the night air was freezing. Soundwave waited just outside. Smokescreen was right. He did look different. Almost as if —

Ratchet raised the Resonance Blaster.

"Where is he?" He contacted Smokescreen, telling him to start looking for Laserbeak nosing around in the base, and to let Bulkhead know that he had to be on the lookout for the other Decepticon spy. This had been a stupid mistake. He had been stupid, to think that Soundwave of all mechs would just come sauntering in, practically offering himself up for nothing.

He was going to have more than a few words with Smokescreen.

Soundwave shook his head.

"What is  _that_  supposed to mean?”

The Decepticon stepped forward, and it was only the too-familiar sight of the interior of the Nemesis that stopped Ratchet from shooting him right there.

The image was displayed on his visor for just a split second after that, but it was more than enough.

"I…I see." Ratchet did not lower the Blaster, but told Smokescreen to stop looking. "What do you want?"

“ _Merely a place at the table._ "

"And…in return?"

More images popped up on Soundwave’s visor. Records. Data.

“ _By the Allspark._ ”

It could be a trick. It probably was. But if there was even the slightest chance it wasn’t — Ratchet shook his head.

"You can confirm this?"

A nod.

"Come in, then."


End file.
